progress 2013

2013After a few years of downturns, layoffs and tough economic times, 2012 was a rela-

tively stable year for jobs and the economy of Highland County. The jobless ratehas fallen, although it does not fully account for the number of individuals still

seeking work. But the county avoided any major manufacturing layoffs and, in fact, jobswere added at various plants and in numerous sectors. Government officials, business own-ers, organizational leaders and educators are cautiously predicting that 2013 will bring bet-ter times to Highland County. In today’s annual “Progress 2013” edition, we take a closerlook at where we’ve been and where we’re going as we enter a new year.

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Progress

GovernmentPage 2

“We have to learn that we are regionally connected to our surrounding counties. Each one helps the other.”

~ Shane Wilkin, countycommissioner

OrganizationsPage 6

“We’re going to strive tomake great friendships andbe a great place to be in2013,”

~ Mechell Frost, Highland County

Senior Center director

EducationPage 3

"Probably the onething that makesus most proud isachieving an'excellent with dis-tinction' rating, allthree buildings were rated excellentfor the first time, and we had ourhighest performance index ever." ~ Bill Garrett, Fairfield superintendent

EntrepreneursPage 4

Proven to WorkPage 5

“People aren’t as fearful asthey once were and they arebuying again.”

~ Jenny Cameron, owner of Real Living

Classic Real Estate

“I think 2013 is going to be a great year ofgrowth for Highland County. We have somereally great businesses about to open and somegreat ideas just forming for our community.”

~ Sharon Bedard, Grow! Highland County business facilitator

Progress 2013 — Government

Local officials express ‘cautiousoptimism’ heading into 2013

By GARY ABERNATHYThe Times-Gazette

“Cautious optimism” might bethe best way to describe the attitudeof most elected officials in HighlandCounty when asked to look ahead to2013.

County and municipal officialsagree that they face economic andgovernmental challenges in thecoming months, but they alsoexpress a sense of hope, noting thatsales tax revenue – a good indicatorof consumer confidence – has beensteady or rising, and that the countyavoided any major manufacturingcutbacks or layoffs in 2012. In fact,some companies expanded andhired additional workers.

“The sales tax revenue has stayedpretty stable,” said Highland County

Commissioner Tom Horst. That’simportant because when it comes tocounty government “we live offsales tax revenue,” said Horst.

Commissioners are expressingconfidence in the coming year’s rev-enue by providing “a little morehelp this year for officeholders. Nota lot, but a little,” said Horst.

Horst pointed to expansion plansby businesses like PASTechnologies in HiIlsboro,Huhtamaki in New Vienna and arelatively new business located inLynchburg, Mirac Inc. WhileHuhtamaki’s proposed expansionwould occur at the old Ford plant inBatavia, Horst said the company ismaintaining its New Vienna pres-ence, and local residents might findgood jobs at the new site even if it’snot in Highland County.

Horst and his fellow commission-ers also hope this will be the yearwhen the long-planned HobartDrive expansion in Hillsborobecomes a reality. The plan to cre-ate a new connector between NorthHigh Street and SR 73 will not onlylessen traffic congestion, but “openup the north end of Hillsboro foreconomic development,” said Horst.

Commissioner Shane Wilkinpoints to jobs added over the pastyear at Weastec in Hillsboro, andthe planned expansion of C-Mold inGreenfield as positive factors, andnotes that the county’s first revolv-ing loan fund was started as a directresult of the C-Mold plans, butexists now to assist other compa-nies, too.

In May, officials toured PAS Technologies in Hillsboro when it announced a major expansion plan. Gathered on the roof of the PASplant to view the new signage added across the way to the roof of the former Carter's Machine Shop were, from left, commissionerTom Horst, then-chamber president Katie Farber, commissioner Shane Wilkin, PAS general manager Dan Boggs, and Kevin Hoggattfrom U.S. Sen. Rob Portman's office.

The combined efforts of local, state and federal officials in 2012 led to the funding necessary to perform upgrades and repairs on the Greenfield rail line, a crucial transportation linkthat supports about 1,000 jobs in Highland County.

� Elected leaders point to stable sales tax, expansion projects across county

See GOVERNMENT II Page 7

KeyPoints

� “The sales tax revenue hasstayed pretty stable,” saidHighland CountyCommissioner Tom Horst.That’s important becausewhen it comes to county gov-ernment “we live off sales taxrevenue,” said Horst.

� Commissioner ShaneWilkin points to jobs addedover the past year at Weastecin Hillsboro, and the plannedexpansion of C-Mold inGreenfield as positive factors,and notes that the county’sfirst revolving loan fund wasstarted as a direct result of theC-Mold plans, but exists nowto assist other companies, too.

� Greenfield city managerBetty Bishop is proud of a windand solar energy initiativeplanned for Greenfield. "Thefeasibility study came back verypositive," she says. "It's readyfor a new person to fly with it."

� Hillsboro mayor DrewHastings plans a major pushon code enforcement in 2013,which he believes will ulti-mately lead to a brighter,cleaner town and eventuallyfewer empty storefronts inthe uptown region.

• The Times-Gazette Dec. 28 and County Shopper Dec. 30 2012

The Times-Gazette Dec. 28 and County Shopper Dec. 30 2012 •

Progress 2013 — Education

2012 was a good year for educationBy JEFF GILLILANDThe Times-Gazette

From Southern StateCommunity College to thepublic and private schools,

2012 was a good year for educationin Highland County, and most allhave their sights set on even biggergoals in 2013.

Following is a school-by-schoollook at what administrators told TheTimes-Gazette they thought weretheir most noteworthy accomplish-ments in the past year and whatthey're looking forward to in thecoming year.

Southern StateCommunity College

The college with its main campusin Hillsboro converted to semesters,rebranded itself, signed new part-nerships and earned several honorsin the past year.

"If change is good, then 2012 hasbeen fantastic for Southern StateCommunity College," the collegesaid in a news release. "It’s been a

year for reintroducing ourselvesamong those who may remember acommunity college from years past,but aren’t fully aware of theadvancements we’ve been making; ayear for repositioning ourselves byunderstanding what makes us differ-ent.

"… We have gone through manychanges, but one thing will neverchange: our commitment to our stu-dents. And that brings us to ourgreatest accomplishment of theyear. In June, we congratulated ourlargest graduating class ever, proud-ly conferring degrees and certifi-cates to 596 well-deserving stu-dents."

Southern State is preparing, oralready is, partly in partnershipswith other institutions, offering newdegrees for dental assistants andveterinary assistants, aviation main-tenance, food processing and tech-nology, electromechanical engineer-ing, criminal justice administrationand truck driving.

As the new year approaches, it isalso progressing with plans for a

new campus on 63 acres nearMount Orab in Brown County.

Bright Local SchoolsBright Local Superintendent Dee

Wright said highlights of the pastyear were the high school receivingan "excellent" rating and the juniorhigh improving its test scores. "Atthe elementary we still have somework to do, but I've been reallyimpressed with the staff and theirwillingness to step to the plate andtry to improve.

She said she's also proud that theschool district has adopted severalneedy families for the holidays andhas a very active role in supportinga food panty at Sugar Tree Ridge.

As far as preparing for next year,Wright said, "We're working towardpreparing for the new standards thatare coming and doing a lot of pro-fessional development for our staff.We also hope to get the communitya little more involved in taking a lit-tle ownership in their school district.

Greenfield Elementary students are shown visiting residents at Edgewood Manor. Greenfield Superintendent Terry Fouch said parentsneed to encourage their children to think creatively about life after high school and graduation.

Mark and Mick Ford with Ford Excavating are shown working on the track project at Hillsboro’s High School and Middle School. Hillsboro Superintendent Rick Earley said he is excit-ed about the track project, not just for student athletes, but for the entire community.

� Most schools have sights set on even bigger goals in coming year

See EDUCATION II Page 8

KeyPoints

� “If change is good, then2012 has been fantastic forSouthern State CommunityCollege,” the school said in apress release.

� “... we’re looking at waysto make sure every kid has thekind of classroom they need tobe in,” said Bill Garrett,Fairfield superintendent.

� Greenfield superintendentTerry Fouch said, “We haveworked very hard to bring ourstudents into a position wherethey are in a competitive pos-ture with other studentsaround the state.”

� “I think people have a ten-dency to look at the negative,and there's an awful lot ofpositive out there with our kidstoday,” Hillsboro superintend-ent Rick Earley said.

� Shane Shope, Lynchburg-Clay superintendent, said, “Wehave a community that pro-vides great support to ourschools throughout the courseof the year ...”

� While Bright LocalSuperintendent Dee Wrightwas disappointed in somestate results, she pointed outthat the high school rated"excellent" and missed "excel-lent with distinction" by justthree-tenths of a point.

Progress 2013 — Entrepreneurs

By ANGELA SHEPHERDThe Times-Gazette

The progress may be gradualand difficult to see sometimes,but the county continues to

make positive strides and the additionof several new businesses within thelast year is perhaps a testament to thearea moving in the right direction.“I think 2013 is going to be a great

year of growth for Highland County.We have some really great businessesabout to open and some great ideasjust forming for our community,”said Sharon Bedard, business facilita-tor for Grow Highland County, apartnership between the HighlandCounty Chamber of Commerce andSouthern State Community College."I am amazed at the number of

people that have contacted us forhelp with a small business idea.Since August we have served 20 newclients," Bedard said.She said those 20 new clients

bring the total for the organization to

137, which includes both new andexisting businesses.Entrepreneur Lisa Keys is one that

has sought the services of GrowHighland County and is workingwith Bedard on a small business planto begin her own mobile massagebusiness.Keys has been a massage therapist

for about six years, mostly offeringtherapeutic and medical massage anddoing so out of several locations.What she would like to do is takethings on the road by offering an in-home service and have the ability toget to people who cannot get to her.“I hope to be able to reach as

many people as I can to make it easi-er for them to get treatment,” Keyssaid.Highland County Chamber of

Commerce President Melissa Elmoresaid the chamber is experiencing alot of growth and success and that 46new businesses joined the chamber in2012.Elmore said that November and

December had been really busymonths for the chamber. One part ofthe business and success is likely the“countless number” of ribbon cut-tings for new businesses that thechamber has attended.One of those ribbon cuttings was

for the new business Bon Appétit,located on Main Street. New busi-nesses like this, and the successfulestablished businesses, prompt busi-ness owner and Hillsboro UptownBusiness Association PresidentRachelle Trefz to say, “I think thingsare looking up.”Trefz talked about fewer empty

storefronts and the addition of newbusinesses in uptown Hillsboro likeBon Appétit and Highland CountyNutrition located on High Street andSlow and Low Barbeque relocatingto uptown.One of those empty storefronts was

filled in May when the TwentyFourExchange consignment shop, which

Steve McComas opened the Barnyard Café in Marshall, on the eastern side of the county, in July and is already looking to expand, say-ing that ground was recently broken for that expansion. The café just started delivery as well. Shown are Barnyard Café employees.

TwentyFour Exchange consignment shop added its TwentyFour Pizza and Deli, including a sweet shop, in May of 2012. Shown above is the Colony Theatre’s original projector whichis on display at the deli for the community to enjoy.

� Entrepreneurs, new businesses a testament to moving in right direction

See ENTREPRENEURS II Page 7

KeyPoints

� “I think 2013 is going tobe a great year of growthfor Highland County,” saidSharon Bedard, businessfacilitator for Grow HighlandCounty.

� Highland CountyChamber of CommercePresident Melissa Elmoresaid the chamber is experi-encing a lot of growth andsuccess and that 46 newbusinesses had joined thechamber in 2012.

� “It was an opportunity tobring something to uptown,”said Cory Taylor, who is inthe process of openingHillsboro Auto at West andMain streets in Hillsboro.

� Barnyard Cafe ownerSteve McComas said, “Wehave a lot more volume ofcustomers than we everexpected.”

� “I see amazing things inthe coming year,”Southwest Ohio AnimalHealth owner GarrettArrowood said.


New business ventures helpensure Highland County success

The Times-Gazette Dec. 28 and County Shopper Dec. 30 2012 •

Progress 2013 — Proven to Work

Proven businesses seepromising outlook for 2013

By ANGELA SHEPHERDThe Times-Gazette

While the last few years havepresented their fair share ofeconomic struggles, there

are businesses that have weathered thegood and the bad across the countyand see good things for tomorrow.One way Hillsboro businesses have

kept themselves visible is by partici-pating in the Hillsboro UptownBusiness Association's First Fridayevents. Through the summer, HUBAhosted cruise-ins and art walks wherelocal artists displayed pieces of art atuptown businesses.HUBA president Rachelle Trefz

said the First Friday events, held onthe first Friday of every month, go onthroughout the year. Trefz said theevents of the summer were a successand helped to draw people to localbusinesses.Another big part of the success of

local businesses is that people seektheir services. Spearheaded by the

Highland County Chamber ofCommerce, several “shop local” ini-tiatives began in 2012, most recentlywith the $25 Days of Christmas.The $25 Days of Christmas kicked

off in November and had 15 chambermember participating businesses andgave incentives to those who shoppedlocally and spent $25 or more in par-ticipating businesses. Chamber presi-dent Melissa Elmore said the chamberanticipates double the business partici-pation in next year’s campaign.The campaign wrapped up Dec. 14

and Elmore said that in the cam-paign’s three-week period “we had1,570 entries totaling $39,250 thatwent back into our local economy.”The total is based off a minimum $25purchase, she said.The chamber says that $68 - versus

$43 from non-locally-owned business-es - of every $100 spent at locally-owned businesses goes back into thelocal economy, and that means jobsand economic stability for tomorrow.While Elmore says there is some

uncertainty for any business’ futuredecisions until budget decisions aremade on Capitol Hill, she said, “Theoutlook for 2013 looks promising,”adding that many businesses reportedincreased sales and have had a strongfourth quarter, while others are up insales, but profit margins are tighter.“We began all of these new initia-

tives, while continuing each of oursuccessful networking, advocacy, pro-motional and educational efforts thispast year,” Elmore said. She also saidthe chamber has had “countless ribboncuttings.”One of those ribbon cuttings was at

Wooden It Be Nice, a multi-state con-struction company based in Greenfieldthat opened in 2007. Since then,owner and president Wes Surritt saysthe company has expanded, and inApril the Chamber Red Coats camefor the ribbon cutting on the newly-acquired and renovated facility.

Moon Tractor, located on West Main Street in Hillsboro, has been in business since 1949. The current owner, Eric Moon, is a third-gen-eration owner.

Star Cinemas was able to upgrade from 35mm film projectors to new digital projectors earlier this year. Shown are two of the replaced 35mm film projectors in the middle, one of thenew digital sound set ups on the right, and one of the new projectors on the left.

� Confidence seems to be returning in real estate, retail markets

See PROVEN II Page 9

KeyPoints

� The chamber’s “$25 Daysof Christmas” campaignwrapped up Dec. 14 andchamber president MelissaElmore said that in the cam-paign’s three-week period“we had 1,570 entries total-ing $39,250 that went backinto our local economy.”

� “Borrowers are takingadvantage of lower rates forrefinancing of the currenthome loans,” said DebJones, co-president of NCBBank.

� “People aren’t as fearfulas they once were and theyare buying again,” saidJenny Cameron of ClassicRealty.

� Since updating the equip-ment at Star Cinemas, man-aging partner Phil Robertssaid the theater has seen anincrease in business.

� Eric Moon of MoonTractor said, “I think we arevery fortunate to be in ourarea…to have what we havein this area.”

Progress 2013 — Organizations

Groups will continue to meetthe needs of citizens in 2013

By LORI TUTTLEThe Times-Gazette

Highland County hasbeen blessed with anumber of organi-

zations that continue tohelp its citizens, and hun-

dreds of lives have beentouched in 2012 by thegenerosity of othersthrough these specialgroups.Hope Christian Alliance

is a food ministry and dis-tribution partner that works

with three other partnersunder the Help the Hungryorganization. HopeChristian Alliance partnerswith Sugartree in ClintonCounty, Pro52.com inButler County and Graceby Faith in Brookville, Ind.to service the needs ofthose in seven Ohio coun-ties, Kentucky and Indianaregions. Hope works with22 food pantries, 10 foodkitchens and has 22 part-ners that offer assistancesuch as electric, healthcare,blankets and stuffed ani-mals for flood victims,agriculture assistance, etc.Hope’s garden project

has become quite notewor-thy over the past year,growing from just an acreof planted food for theneedy to 22 acres at fourdifferent sites. The gardenproject, which invites otherservice groups to help withplanting, upkeep and har-vesting, grows green beans,sweet corn, potatoes, toma-toes and cabbage.In looking ahead to

2013, Hope ChristianAlliance Director CurtisPegram said that he is cur-rently putting a plan togeth-er to present to a localgroup in order to possiblyestablish a cannery andfruit orchard. He is work-ing to get all the pieces intoplace before presenting theidea.The Highland County

Senior Center recently part-nered with Hope to providecanning, freezing and somedistribution.What is beneficial about

Hope partnering with threeother alliances is that anabundance of one item, likeJTM meat, can be traded orredistributed for things like

garden goods. The fourgroups distribute what ismost needed in theirregions.Hope has gone from dis-

tributing one semi truck-load every other week, tofive per week, and thegroup is currently strug-gling with distribution andis in need of a warehouse.But, Faith by Grace, whichwas started by four NavySeals, according to Pegram,has offered to build a ware-house and others in thecommunity have been help-ing make the need happen.“Four alliances come

together for a mega foodministries and distribution(system),” Pegram said.“We all feel blessed to justbe a part of this. God isdoing an amazing thinghere. There’s just nothinglike it (here in HighlandCounty).”Hope has gone from

servicing 3,135 families inDecember 2012 to 5,875 inOctober of 2012. EveryFriday at 2 p.m. at NewLife Church and Ministrieson state Route 247, Hopedistributes goods to anyonein need. The pastor of NewLife, Bill Bowman, is thepresident of the allianceand is a coordinator withHelp the Hungry.Kamp Dovetail, a volun-

teer-run, weeklong summercamp for children with dis-abilities in Highland andsurrounding counties, issponsored bySupplementary Assistanceto The Handicapped(SATH). SATH ExecutiveDirector Linda Allen saidthat it was a rough yearfinancially for their missionThe Highland District Hospital Foundation bridges the community

with the hospital by getting citizens involved with meeting variousneeds. Fundraising for a digital mammography unit is currentlyunder way.

At Kamp Dovetail last summer, camper Toni Burns prepares to take a horseback ride in a shady nook of the camp as volunteers help her saddle up. Kamp Dovetail is a volunteer-run,weeklong summer camp for children with disabilities.

� Outreach programs distribute goods, bridge relationships, provide assistance

See ORGANIZATIONS II Page 10

KeyPoints

� “God is doing anamazing thing here.There’s just nothing likeit (here in HighlandCounty),” Hope ChristianAlliance Director CurtisPegram said.

� Highland DistrictHospital FoundationDirector Cathy Jonessaid she feels many peo-ple in the communitycontinue to support thefoundation’s causesbecause almost everyfamily has been touchedby the hospital in someway.

� Highland CountySenior Center DirectorMechell Frost said thatthe center hopes to con-tinue expanding its refer-ral services, get moreinformation than ever toits seniors, and has afantastic 2013 tour pro-gram coming up.


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continued from Page 2But more than that, Wilkin believes

Highland County must continue tosee itself as part of a bigger region.He points to aviation-related compa-nies and assets like the airpark inClinton County and GE in AdamsCounty that, coupled with a companylike PAS in Hillsboro, creates an avi-ation corridor.“We have to learn that we are

regionally connected to our sur-rounding counties,” said Wilkin.“Each one helps the other.”Several officials interviewed

pointed to the successful effort tofund the upgrade and repair of theGreenfield rail line as a key victoryin 2012 and an important linchpin tofuture success.“That was huge,” said commis-

sioner Jeremy Shaffer, noting thatabout 1,000 jobs were preserved as aresult of the state and federal fundinggained to repair the line. Shaffer saidthat “sometimes government is a lit-tle behind” in recognizing the immi-nent loss of jobs, not reacting untilit’s too late. But thanks to efforts oflocal officials like Greenfield citymanager Betty Bishop, State Rep.Cliff Rosenberger and others, “Wesaved that,” said Shaffer.Bishop agrees, expressing pride in

the accomplishment as she preparesto retire at the end of December afterthree years at the helm in Greenfield.Along with the importance of the railspur, Bishop is also proud of a windand solar energy initiative plannedfor Greenfield. "The feasibility studycame back very positive," she says."It's ready for a new person to flywith it." Greenfield has been inter-viewing applicants to become thenew city manager.In Hillsboro, mayor Drew

Hastings is wrapping up the firstyear of his tenure, and it was a rockystart, particularly in regard to theissue of fire coverage in Hillsboroand the surrounding townships. Butnow that the fire issue seems to bereaching a conclusion, Hastingslooks forward to 2013 and said,“Yes, I’m optimistic.”Hastings added, “I would say

we’re going to be working on thingsthat position us to be poised for suc-cess, which means rebuilding. Thereis still money falling through thecracks that can be saved.”

Hastings plans a major push oncode enforcement in 2013, which hebelieves will ultimately lead to abrighter, cleaner town and eventuallyfewer empty storefronts in theuptown region.“We’re not ready for a ‘Welcome

to Hillsboro’ campaign yet,” saidHastings. “We can’t make a splashuntil we fill the pool, and I hope wecan fill the pool next year.”Lynchburg mayor Robbie Wallace

said that like all municipalities, hisvillage is facing the realities of fewerstate funds and other cuts. But he isoptimistic about the coming year.“We have to find unique ways to

make up those funds without puttingthe burden on constituents,” saidWallace. “We’re asking people towork with us, and we’re getting a lotof positive feedback.”Completing just his first year in

office, Wallace said he looks to hiscommunity for new ideas. Votersrecently again shot down a policelevy, but Wallace is committed tomaintaining a police department inLynchburg. “We have a full-timechief and auxiliary officers,” saidWallace, who is working on trying tobring on an additional officer. Hesaid the county sheriff’s office hasbeen “working with us very well.”Wallace is also excited about the

Mirac Inc. plant in Lynchburg, whichhe said employs about 50 localworkers, with plans to expand. Miracis an electronics assembly and fabri-cation company, with computerboards among the items it producesfor contract clients. Wallace said thevillage helped the company CEO,Ralph Captain, successfully negoti-ate land and buildings for additionalgrowth.In Leesburg, mayor Danny

Daulton believes the economy is“looking better,” and he’s excitedabout a water meter project and aplan to rid the community of run-down properties.“We’re going to be tearing down

blighted houses,” said Daulton.Daulton said the Greenfield rail

line success was important, especial-ly since companies served by theline, including Candle-lite, are in andaround his town. He also points toexpansion plans by the MasonCompany, a longtime Leesburg busi-ness specializing in fencing and ani-mal enclosures.“All in all, it’s looking pretty

good,” said Daulton.

Government:

continued from Page 4opened in 2011, added its TwentyFourPizza and Deli, including a sweetshop.Co-owner Amy Robinson said the

business had a lot of extra space andwanted to fill it with something thatwas different and that everyone couldenjoy while also taking advantage ofthe storefront and adding to uptownHillsboro and the historic district.Since opening, Robinson says busi-

ness has been booming. “We are real-ly, really thankful” for the successwith the business. She said they arestill expanding and adding new menuitems all the time.Another new business coming to

uptown Hillsboro, and to be locatedon the corner of West and MainStreets, is Hillsboro Motors, andowner Cory Taylor says he hopes tobe opening by the first of the year.Taylor, who has sold cars before,

said this was a chance to redo thebuilding and do something positivewith the “dead corner” that had stoodvacant for so long.“It was an opportunity to bring

something to uptown,” Taylor said.In Marshall, what started as an

idea for a dairy bar has turned into aseven-day a week restaurant withindoor and outdoor seating and fullbreakfast, lunch and dinner menus.Steve McComas opened the

Barnyard Café in July and is alreadylooking to expand, adding that groundwas recently broken for that expan-sion. The café just started delivery aswell.McComas opened the café because

he said it is something that he hasalways wanted to do.

“We have a lot more volume ofcustomers than we ever expected,”McComas said. “We are very pleasedwith business.”Southwest Ohio Animal Health,

located on U.S. Route 50 west, justopened its doors in November. OwnerGarrett Arrowood said that he and hiswife, Sylvia, had the opportunity toopen up in Highland County and theytook it.Arrowood said it was an opportuni-

ty to fill a need in the county so peo-ple could get what they need locally.The local aspect is important to theArrowoods as well as they buy andshowcase local items as much as pos-sible.Southwest Ohio Animal Health

provides over-the-counter animalhealth supplies for livestock, equineand pets. Arrowood said it’s like “aCVS for animals.”Arrowood said they are hopeful to

give back to the community. He saidthey love animals and being able toprovide what people need in HighlandCounty.According to Arrowood, there are

plans to host livestock and equineclinics and they have “tons of ideas”for growing into the extra space theyhave available.“We want to make a connection

with people,” he said, adding that thepeople who come in the store are notjust customers, but friends and neigh-bors.For the future, Arrowood said, “I

see amazing things in the comingyear.”As to the growth and success of

businesses coming on in the areaBedard said, “It is exciting to see newbusiness in Highland County. And asour friends and neighbors follow theirdreams, we can help by buying local.”

Entrepreneurs:

continued from Page 3"We want to keep working with our board of

education, keep working with the staff and keepdoing the best we can for the kids of BrightLocal."

Fairfield Local SchoolsSuperintendent Bill Garrett said that one

thing he's probably most proud of over the pastyear is that the school district was rated "excel-lent with distinction" as a whole, all three ofthe district's buildings were rated excellent, andthe district received its highest ever perform-ance index.He also said more people are moving into the

district."I think we've seen growth in the student

population this year. I think a lot of our plansfor the coming year are going to be finding away to house everybody," Garrett said. "Ouropen enrollment has increased and we're look-ing at ways to make sure every kid has the kindof classroom they need to be in."Another goal for the coming year, Garrett

said, is for the district to spend less money thanit takes. He said Fairfield has accomplished thateach of the past five years.But he said the main area of concentration is

going to be finding a place to house all the stu-dents. He said final numbers are not exact forhis year, but his best estimate is that theFairfield schools have grown by 35 to 40 stu-dents this year over a year ago, a significantincrease for a small school district. Garrett saidnew students are scattered throughout all gradelevels, but the most of them are in the lowergrades.Asked how the community could support the

district, Garrett said it just needs to keep doingwhat it's already doing."I think the community has already helped

us," he said. "A year and half ago they passedour renewal improvement levy that enabled usto purchase equipment, upgrade our technologyand infrastructure, and some was set aside forclassroom development. We've always had greatsupport from the community helping us in areaslike that to participating in all the events wehave at the schools."

Greenfield ExemptedVillage SchoolsSuperintendent Terry Fouch said one thing

he's proud of is the fact that Greenfield hasbeen able to install 91 smart boards throughoutthe district in recent years."The ability to improve our students' access

to technology has been a huge step forward forour school district," Fouch said. "We haveworked very hard to bring our students into aposition where they are in a competitive posturewith other students around the state."Fouch said that with the recent changes in

accountability models, time needs to be spent inthe coming year to see exactly how those mod-els will be introduced. He said the district alsoneeds to communicate with parents about theincreased rigors on students' academic perform-ance. He said that means that parents to need tobecome engaged and active in their childrens'education in areas like making sure they attendschool, complete homework and relating to the

importance of a good education and placing ahigh value on it.Fouch said parents also need to encourage

their children to think creatively about life afterhigh school and graduation."I think our school district continues to

improve its academic performance," Fouch said."We've made incremental improvements forseveral years now and need to impress upon ourstaff the importance of doing the best job possi-ble for the students that we have here so thatevery child realizes their full potential as a stu-dent."

Hillsboro City SchoolsSuperintendent Rick Earley said that what

he's probably most proud of over the past yearis the fact that for the first time ever the districtreceived an "excellent" rating as a whole."As a superintendent I'm proud of the way

that the staff worked in depth to make thingsbetter for our kids academically," Earley said.I'm excited about the track project, and not justfor our student athletes, but for the entire com-munity, and with the new tennis courts here,our campus just becomes more of a hub for thecommunity."Earley said that looking toward the coming

year, some of the primary challenges are goingto be keeping up with all the new mandates likethird-grade reading and teacher evaluations.As for how the community can help the

Hillsboro schools, Earley said, "I think justbeing involved through volunteering. We have alot of students that need one-on-one help,someone they can connect to, and just support-ing our kids in general."I think people have a tendency to look at the

negative, and there's an awful lot of positive outthere with our kids today."

Lynchburg-Clay Schools"As a district, the most important accom-

plishment is obviously with our students,"superintendent Shane Shope said. "We continueto see improvements in our reading and mathachievement scores, which could not happenwithout a dedicated staff. Our board of educa-tion continues to look for ways to cut our costsand through a number of initiatives implement-ed in the last year, the district has seen a majorsavings in energy usage and materials."In the coming year we look to continue to

meet the challenges that lie ahead regarding ourfinances, curriculum, and increasing our usageof technology in the classrooms. We also willcontinue to reach out to create and foster ourrelationships with area businesses and otherimportant social capital interests. We believethese relationships are valuable in the holisticdevelopment of our student body."We have a community that provides great

support to our schools throughout the course ofthe year and with their ongoing and future help,our students will continue to grow to be cham-pions in the classroom and ambassadors for ourcommunity."

Hillsboro Christian AcademyAdministrator Connie Sears says that in the

five years since the academy's inception, enroll-ment has grown from a junior high/high schoolto a K-12 school with approximately 70 stu-dents. Besides being chartered with the state ofOhio, the school continues to be a member of

the Association of Christian Schools,International. The existing facilities in theChurch of the Nazarene on U.S. Route 50 havebeen augmented with three modular buildings."Our academic achievements and Christian

service are of great importance to the school,"Sears said. "In the last two years, most of ourhigh school students participated in theAnthony Munoz Foundation's LeadershipConference at Xavier University. This year, sev-eral of our high school students participated intwo mock UN forums in Columbus. At the con-clusion of this year's first quarter, over 50 per-cent of our students were eligible for the honorroll, several receiving 4.0 grade point averages.Twenty-five of our high school students areenrolled in Post Secondary courses at SouthernState or Ohio Christian University.Looking to the future, Sears said, "We are

always interested in working with parents whowant their children to achieve academically in aChristian environment. We also want our stu-dents to become more others-oriented and lessself-centered, becoming more Christ-like andless like the world. We continually search forstaff, students, and curriculum which will helpto achieve this vision. Also, locating some landfor a permanent facility for the school is adream for the future."

St. Mary Catholic SchoolAdministrator/principal Mary Stanforth says

that so far this year the school is concentratingon core curriculum recently mandated by thestate and getting its students ready for the"Iowa test," an achievement test administered tothird- and fourth-grade students in the spring.Looking to the future, Stanforth said the

school is hoping to expand its preschool. It cur-rently offers preschool for 3 and 4-year-olds,but is hoping to start a preschool for early 4-year-olds who miss the enrollment cutoff date."One of the biggest misconceptions here is

that you have to be a Catholic. We accept allfaiths, and do offer a faith-based education,"Stanforth said. "One other area where peoplesometimes have a misconception is that not allof our teachers are accredited and have a teach-ing certificate. I think that sometimes becausewe're not a public school, people think theydon't have to have that."Stanforth said that now in its fourth year, the

school is starting to turn the corner, seeingmore acceptance and starting to grow. She saidthe school currently offers an education up tograde eight, but that it would like to expand tomore grades if it can find enough interested stu-dents.

Education:

Progress 2013

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continued from Page 5“We have seen a steady

increase in our businessthe last five years,” Surrittsaid.The company, which

covers 15 states, is alreadybooked for three jobs nextyear, he said.Surritt sees good times

ahead. He said, “There isgoing to be growth in2013.”Deb Jones, co-president

of NCB Bank, said thebanking industry is seeingan upswing in business.“Economic uncertainty

has made consumers hesi-tant to take on new debt.However, with rates athistorical lows, home pur-chases and auto loans areon the rise as a result ofthe low interest rate envi-ronment. In addition, bor-rowers are taking advan-tage of lower rates forrefinancing of the currenthome loans,” Jones said.Jenny Cameron, owner

of Classic Realty, said“things are on theincline.”Business has been so

busy for the agency thatCameron said they areplanning to add newagents as current agentshave been keeping verybusy.“People aren’t as fear-

ful as they once were andthey are buying again,”Cameron said.Sue Boone, owner of

Sue Boone Realty since1993, said, "We have hada good year."She said that while

financing for homes and

properties still faces chal-lenges, "I can see a posi-tive difference in the waythings are going."She said new construc-

tion is on the rise and shehopes to see that continueto increase in the comingyear. All in all, Boonesaid, "Things are reallyturning around. I thinkpeople's confidence isbeginning to come back."Richard Shriver, broker

and owner of Shriver GoldReal Estate Company inSugar Tree Ridge, saidbusiness has been verysteady and that the com-pany just opened a newoffice in West Union.Shriver said he is

happy with the continuedgrowth of the nearly 30-year-old company andlooks forward to moregrowth.“We hope to continue

to grow, to take care ofour customers and to wel-come new ones,” Shriversaid.Amy Fulkerson, who

has owned Don FenderRealty for a decade, saidthis year the agency hasseen “an upturn in sales.”“I think things are turn-

ing around,” Fulkersonsaid, and projected thatsales will continue toincrease in the comingyear for the nearly 65-year-old real estate com-pany.Star Cinemas’ owner

Phil Roberts said he hascompleted updates to thecinema this summer withdigital projectors, two the-aters with 3-D capabili-ties, and updated to 5.1Dolby digital surroundsound. Future renovations

are being discussed aswell, he said.“We have updated our

quality of picture andsound,” Roberts said, tokeep up with the technolo-gy and offer people thebetter-quality experiencein Highland County. Sinceupdating the equipment,he said the theater hasseen an increase in busi-ness.“We are here to stay,”

he said. “Now it’s up toHollywood to keep mak-ing pictures people wantto see.”Jenny Pitzer of Pitzer

Trucking said,“Everything looks reallygood.”She said the company

keeps getting bigger andgetting more equipment,adding that all signs pointto sustained growth forthe company.Pitzer said they expect

even more growth in thecoming year.Charlie Stevens, owner

of Stevens Hardware,which has been inGreenfield since 1990,said, "This year we haveseen a little bit ofimprovement."Despite there being

things yet to improve,Stevens said, "A lot ofpositive things are goingon," not only inGreenfield but in thewhole area - in particular,the recent funding pack-age for the Greenfield railspur, which he said was"very important" as it pre-served many jobs.Stevens said his busi-

ness is planning on someimprovements for thecoming year. He added

that the one big unknownfor everyone right now iswaiting on Washington tocome to some kind ofagreement. Regardless,Stevens said, "I thinkthings will continue toimprove."Eric Moon, the third-

generation owner of MoonTractor, said the last sev-eral months of businesshave been “much better.”Moon said their busi-

ness is a seasonal one andChristmas is not generally

one of their seasons.Despite that, he said thatthe business has seen“more positive activitylately.”Moon, who has owned

Moon Tractor for 20years, said the businessdoes not so much focus onagriculture anymore, butthey offer items likechainsaws, zero-turnlawnmowers and differenttypes of tractors.“We have just come out

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very strong year for us,”Moon said of the 60-year-old business.One positive thing for

Moon, and HighlandCounty he said, is thearea’s outdoor areas andits proximity to the largercities. He says otherscome to the area for thestate parks and the lakesand outdoor activities andsaid, “I think we are veryfortunate to be in ourarea…to have what wehave in this area.”

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continued from Page 6… that is until a special lit-

tle girl and her family gave thegroup the boost it needed onemonth before the June camp.“Financially, we were able

to come out of the year suc-cessfully, but at the beginning,we were worried because wewant to make sure every childcan go to camp,” Allen said.“Then, one girl and her familydonated $10,000 to SATH. Wewere struggling and I don’twant to turn any child away.Then the mother called me(about the donation). At aboard meeting, everyone cried.Everyone knew how much wewere struggling. It relieved somuch pressure on us becausewe knew everything would beOK.“It’s a success story. This is

how important camp is to everychild. This community, this lit-tle girl, helped us have a suc-cessful season.”SATH holds a Super Bowl

Chili Cookoff in January,Sweetheart Charity Ball inFebruary, a charity auction inMarch, Celebrity GolfTournament in May, a car showin June and Kamp Dovetail isheld in the middle of June.“We stay very busy, as you

can see, up until camp,” Allensaid. “We’re hoping to havesuccess at all these events.Without the support we receivefrom this community, wewould not be able to operate.We appreciate the support somuch.”The Highland County

Senior Citizen Center has beenbusier than ever this year, put-ting on special events likeDinner with Mark Twain,Dinner with Elvis, a Hee-Hawshow, Halloween indoor trick

or treating and haunted houseand Breakfast withSanta/Winter Wonderland.“I feel we’ve been able to

meet the mental, emotional andphysical needs of our membersand the community,” seniorcenter director Mechell Frostsaid. “We have more referralservices, like Seniors helpingSeniors, Home Helpers andMeals on Wheels, than ever.We’ve had more activities,more events and more volun-teers reaching out to more peo-ple.“We’ve kept everything peo-

ple love and have just addednew things to get more interestthan before.”Frost said that the center

hopes to continue expanding itsreferral services, get moreinformation than ever to itsseniors, and has a fantastic2013 tour program coming up.“We’re keeping the old

favorites but bringing in new,exciting things,” she said.“We’re going to strive to makegreat friendships and be a greatplace to be in 2013.”The Highland District

Hospital Foundation wasformed to promote communityinvolvement in the hospital’sfuture. It encourages communi-ty involvement to help ensurethat the hospital meets theneeds of those it serves.“Given the economic cir-

cumstances, we have still beenvery blessed (this year),”Foundation Director CathyJones said, adding that shefeels many people in the com-munity continue to support thefoundation’s causes becausealmost every family has beentouched by the hospital insome way.Foundation members regu-

larly meet with the hospital’sboard to discuss the needs ofthe hospital in order to better

serve the community. The ideasare taken back to the founda-tion board, which decides whatto pursue and raises the fundsto provide the need.At the beginning of 2012,

the foundation decided to makea digital mammography unit areality for the community. Thetotal cost is $325,000 and halfof that amount was obtainedthrough an ARC grant. Jonessaid the foundation hopes tohave the unit up and running inthe spring or summer of 2013and will continue to seek fund-ing to fulfill the foundation’sfinancial obligation.Jones said the group’s first-

ever golf outing in July, a 5Krun in October and November’sgala were all very successfulfundraising events.Highland County

Community ActionOrganization celebrated 47years of service in HighlandCounty in 2012, and adminis-tered over $5.4 million in local,state and federal funding. Theorganization currently has 90employees and provides servic-es to over 20 percent of thepopulation of HighlandCounty.Julia Wise, executive direc-

tor of Highland CountyCommunity ActionOrganization, Inc., said, “Eventhrough 2012 was filled withmuch uncertainty due to thefederal budget crisis, the organ-ization has continued to diver-sify and grow and meet theever changing needs of ourpopulation. I credit this to thededication of staff and boardmembers who believe in themission of the organization andhelping people and changinglives.”Even though unemployment

numbers are down, the organi-zation still sees many new cus-tomers coming into the office

in need of assistance in a vari-ety of areas, Wise said. Manyhave never had to seek assis-tance previously. But Wise saidthe staff remains committed totrying to meet current needs aswell as see if there are otherareas which they might be ableto assist.“While the number of resi-

dents which seek services hascontinued to increase, the pro-grams and services offeredhave grown as well,” Wisesaid. “This is due to the dedi-cation of staff being committedto helping people and changinglives and our board’s willing-ness to let us diversify as theneeds in our communitychange. Many people get ourorganization confused thinkingwe are a county agency. We arenot. We are a private, nonprofitcorporation.”The annual Ernie

Blankenship Telethon for theHighland County Society forChildren and Adults raised$20,000 more than the 2011total. The 40th annual telethonheld in March raised more than$143,000 to help local peoplewith medical costs that theycannot afford.During the telethon, 286

donors gave money, fewer thanlast year. However, this year'stelethon still raised thousandsmore than last year's. "So basi-cally, the people who gave,gave more," said board mem-ber Rocky Coss. "We saw busi-nesses and organizations thatincreased their donations sub-stantially, among them theEagles and Rotary."All donations are used by

the society to provide assis-tance and services to HighlandCounty children and adultswho have extraordinaryexpenses for necessary medicaltreatment, transportation,equipment and other health

care devices. The societyworks in conjunction withother local government and pri-vate agencies to provide finan-cial assistance to HighlandCounty residents who havemedical expenses not coveredby insurance or other pro-grams.New facilities have opened

around the county to help min-ister to the needs of local resi-dents.The Good News Gathering

opened its new facility on thesouthern edge of Hillsboro inSeptember, more than 14 yearsafter a handful of people start-ed a church with hopes ofattracting people who didn'tnormally attend services."There was a core group of

about 19 people that just had adream of designing a churchfor people who wouldn't becaught dead in a church," pas-tor Jeff Lyle told the Times-Gazette in September. "Wewanted to create an environ-ment where they would becomfortable in a Christian set-ting."Today, Lyle said Good News

has a regular Sunday atten-dance of about 375.Also, the Greenfield Area

Christian Center is in theprocess of getting its new facil-ity, that boasts a gymnasium,ready. According to the min-istries’ clothing director JudySchmidt, the exterior of thebuilding is done but workersare still completing workinside.The youth group New

Directions will share the build-ing with GACC, which hasserviced almost 700 visitorsthis year. It has given awayalmost 2,000 Walmart-sizebags of clothes, 150 adult win-ter coats, and is giving foodvouchers away for Christmasto its most needy clients.

Organizations:

Progress 2013

Submitted by HDH

Highland DistrictHospital is pleased to bringthis technology to our com-munity. It is part of ourcommitment to providinghigh-quality patient care.

Highland DistrictHospital has joined OhioState’s stroke telemedicinenetwork, bringing rapidaccess to advanced strokecare to our community.

When a suspected strokepatient arrives to HighlandDistrict Hospital’sEmergency Department, a“stroke alert” is activated atboth Ohio State andHighland District Hospital,which mobilizes a team ofstroke experts who, throughthe use of telemetry andreal-time testing and patientinterview, can help the careteam at Highland DistrictHospital determine the besttreatment option for thepatient.

Research published inthe Sept. 14, 2011 issue ofNeurology. The medicaljournal of the AmericanAcademy of Neurology,suggests that telestroke iscost-effective for rural hos-pitals that don’t have a neu-rologist or stroke specialiston staff around the clockand provides greater accessto the clot-busting treat-ment, tPA.

Ohio State’s stroke team,which includes critical carephysicians and vascularneurosurgeons, is availableany time, day or night.

Michael Turner, MD,emergency departmentmedical director atHighland District Hospital,states that “the window oftime for successfully treat-ing stroke victims is short,usually less than threehours. The use of real-timetechnology will save morelives in our community.”

In addition, Ohio State’sneurology and neurosurgeryprogram is ranked by U.S.News & World Report mag-azine as among the best inthe country. HighlandDistrict Hospital is proud topartner with Ohio State toimprove the quality andefficiency of care providedto our community.

Highland DistrictHospital linked to lifesquad for improvedheart attack detectionand treatment

In rural areas such asHighland County, speed iscritical when someone suf-fers a heart attack,” saysTim Parry, Vice President

of nursing. “Rapid patientassessment is needed sothat medical teams arealerted before the patientever arrives at the hospital.And expediting the transferof patients is what our newSTEMI program is allabout.” STEMI (SegmenTElevated MyocardialInfarction) is a type ofacute heart attack that canbe fatal if not treated asquickly as possible. Tomake the program work, theHDH Foundation fundedthe purchase of advancedEKG technology. Thisequipment enables EMSsquads to perform EKGson-site and electronicallytransmit the information tothe hospital. An ER physi-cian then evaluates theEKG to determine if thepatient is having a heartattack and the severity ofthe attack.

If the diagnosis is aSTEMI requiring sophisti-cated intervention, an airtransport helicopter can beflown to the patient’s loca-tion or met at the hospital.With one call, the informa-tion is transmitted to a car-diologist at The CardiologyCenter of Cincinnati orOhio Heart and VascularCenter, Bethesda North orThe Christ Hospital.

“We stepped forward toset up this partnership,”says Parry, “and we’re allworking together to havebetter patient outcomes.Faster response and evalua-tion means restoring bloodcirculation and getting oxy-gen to an injured heartmore quickly. That benefitsour patients and that’s thequality of service we allwant.”

Highland DistrictHospital becomes GEHealthcare Regional Showsite for nuclear medicinecamera

In August, a new nuclearmedicine scanner wasinstalled at HighlandDistrict Hospital. This newtechnology delivers excel-lent image quality and pro-vides diagnostic confidenceto our physicians withproven impact on patientmanagement.

The Infinia scanner givesdoctors information aboutboth the nature and the pre-cise location of the disease,all in a single exam that isquick and comfortable forpatients.

“This is an advancementfor our nuclear medicinedepartment,” said BradStorts, RT, Radiology

department manager. “Itprovides sharper, higher-quality images that help ourdoctors make confidentdiagnosis. It’s a big stepforward in diagnostic confi-dence and patient comfort.”

Infinia offers tremen-dous patient flexibility byallowing for all scanningpositions in an ultra-rapidscan cycle. The exam tableis designed to let patientsget on and off easily. It isalso comfortable, whichmeans patients can easilyhold still, letting doctorsget the best possibleimages.

Highland District Hospital collaborateswith Ohio State’s Wexner MedicalCenter to offer advanced stroke care


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Submitted by SSCC

We did it.Convert to semesters? Check. Rebrand

the college? Check.Sign new partnerships? Add new

degrees? Earn awesome honors? Check,check, check!

If change is good, then 2012 has beenfantastic for Southern State CommunityCollege. It’s been a year for reintroducingourselves among those who may remembera community college from years past, butaren’t fully aware of the advancementswe’ve been making. A year for reposition-ing ourselves by understanding what makesus different. Below, we invite you to readabout all the changes we’ve made in 2012alone.

We have gone through many changes,but one thing will never change: our com-mitment to our students. And that brings usto our greatest accomplishment of the year.In June, we congratulated our largest gradu-ating class ever, proudly conferring degreesand certificates to 596 well-deserving stu-dents. Here’s looking forward to 2013 andwatching hundreds more check somethingoff their own bucket lists — getting a col-lege degree.

NEW DEGREES & PARTNERSHIPS• Dental Assistant, Veterinary Assistant

(certificate) – Through a new partnership

with Boston Reed College, we now offerdental assistant and veterinary assistanttraining on SSCC’s Central Campus inHillsboro. The dental assistant training is a10-week program with classes held onMonday and Wednesday evenings, whilethe veterinary assistant training is a five-week program with classes held onSaturdays.

• Aviation Maintenance (associatedegree) – Through a new partnership withGreat Oaks Career Campuses, we will offeran FAA-certified associate degree inAviation Technology. The new degree isdesigned as a six-semester track to be com-pleted in two years. Successful completionof the program could lead to employment atan FAA-certified repair station orairline/airfreight company, in aircraft oraerospace manufacturing, or as an aviationmaintenance technician, sales and servicetechnician.

• Food Processing & Technology (asso-ciate degree) – In collaboration with severallocal companies who outlined a need foremployees with academic training in thefield of food processing and technology, weannounced the launch of this brand newassociate degree. Designed to be completedin four semesters, the Food Processing &Technology degree can offer vast opportuni-ties for our graduates. Our research rankedOhio as fifth in the nation in overall foodprocessing.

• Electromechanical Engineering (asso-ciate degree) – Three local institutions(SSCC, Dayton Power and Light andManchester High School) partnered tobegin offering this new degree inManchester in Adams County. General edu-cation courses, such as math, English andphysics, are offered early evenings at thehigh school, while all technical courses areoffered a few minutes away at DP&L’sGeneration Center.

• Criminal Justice Administration (bach-elor’s degree) – Through a new partnershipwith Franklin University, we have created apathway for students to complete theirbachelor degrees by transferring theirSSCC associate’s degree to Franklin andcan take these classes in a face-to-face for-mat at the SSCC Fayette Campus inWashington C.H.

• Truck Driving (licensure) – Throughnew partnerships with the Ohio StrategicTraining Center, Belmont College and theDelaware Area Career Center, the SSCCTruck Driving Academy is now offered at10 statewide locations. Students can selecteither the four-week or eight-weekend pro-gram to earn their CDL.

NEW CAMPUSWe’re making steady progress on plans for

our newest campus on a 63-acre parcel ofland near Mount Orab in Brown County.BHDPArchitecture is in the process of com-pleting the schematic design phase and therequired review by the State Architect’soffice. Groundbreaking for the two-storyfacility is scheduled for June 2013, and thecampus will be open for classes August 2014.

NEW EVENTSWe proudly welcomed the Cincinnati

Opera to our Hillsboro campus, as well as atheatrical performance of “The HillsboroStory.” The Cincinnati Opera presented areduced touring version of “Porgy andBess,” which packed the house and featuredthe best-loved songs from the opera, evoca-tive sets and costumes, and an accom-plished cast of five young opera singers.“The Hillsboro Story” was written by localnative Susan Banyas and celebrated a pow-erful civil rights drama that unfolded in ourcommunity in the 1950s. Celebrated“Knockemstiff” author Donald Ray

Southern State: 2012 has been a year for reintroducing ourselves

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continued from Page 11Pollock and Montpelierarchaeologist Matt Reeveswere also welcomed tocampus for special presen-tations open to the public.If you missed these events,stay tuned – 2013’s calen-dar looks just as promis-ing.

NEW BRANDINGJust a few short months

ago, we proudly unveiled anew look. In part, this wasa bold step toward bring-ing life into a dated mar-keting image. We venturedto determine what it is thatdistinguishes us and welearned that our success is

fully grounded in our abil-ity to connect with stu-dents in unprecedentedways. It was clear that stu-dents’ meaningful andengaging experiences withfaculty and staff putSouthern State in a leagueof its own. Our new logo,new color palette, newwebsite and new cam-paigns all reflect what ourstudents love most aboutus – our ability to providean affordable, accessible,high quality education in afriendly community set-ting.

NEW ACADEMICCALENDAR

Our fall term started alittle early this year as wemade the switch from

quarters to semesters.Southern State joined allthe other public collegesand universities in Ohio inmaking the transition toone academic calendar,which essentially allowsfor easier transfer of col-lege credits for our stu-dents.

NEW TRUSTEEIn July it was

announced that Michael P.Pell of Adams County hadbeen appointed to the col-lege’s board of trustees. Agraduate of West UnionHigh School, Pell earnedhis bachelor’s degree inbusiness administrationand management fromMorehead StateUniversity. He has worked

in the banking industrysince 1983, most recentlyas president and CEO of

First State Bank inWinchester.

At the same time, PaulHall of Brown County wasreappointed, havingalready completed twoterms in service to the col-lege. The owner of PaulHall & Associates, aninsurance company inMount Orab, Hall servesas the director of evangel-ism and shepherding atthe Georgetown Church ofChrist, chairman of theRepublican CentralCommittee, as well as onthe board for theKentucky Friends of 4-HFoundation and MercyHospital.

NEW HONORS• Nursing Program –

The 2012 graduates of thenursing program all passedthe NCLEX licensureexam on their firstattempts. They join theranks of the practical nurs-ing program graduateswho have earned the samefirst-time pass rate honor.

• Childcare – The Patri-Tots Learning Center (forkids 18 months to 5 years)earned a 100-percent com-

pliance inspection ratingas well as a Two-Star StepUp To Quality (SUTQ)award from the OhioDepartment of Job andFamily Services.

• Retention Rates – Inan article published byCNN Money, SouthernState’s completion andtransfer rates were identi-fied as the highest amongOhio’s community col-leges.

• College President –Dr. Kevin Boys, SSCCpresident, was appointedby Board of RegentsChancellor Jim Petro tothe Complete CollegeOhio Task Force, chargedwith submitting recom-mendations to dramaticallyimprove Ohio’s collegecompletion success.

• Faculty Members –The Southwestern OhioCouncil for HigherEducation (SOCHE) rec-ognized three facultymembers for excellence inteaching. SSCC instructorsChyane Collins, DavidGarippa and Ken Hollidaywere honored at the 2012Teaching and LearningConference.


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Amatha Farrens, Agent226 N High Street

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Progress 2013

Shown above is an architect’s rendering of Southern State Community College’s newestcampus location in Brown County.

SSCC:

progress 2013

Documents

economy of highland

new year

arelatively new business

new site

great businesses

great year ofgrowth

great place

government officials